Spreader and hancer for wardrobe bags



Nov. 8, 1932. w. D; NORMANDY 1,886,574

SPREADER AND HANGER FOR WARDROBE BAGS Filed Nov.5, 1930 gnaw/atom dam/M1 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLARD D. NORMANDY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T LEDERER MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN SPREADER AND HANGER FOR WARDROBE BAGS Application filed November 5, 1930. Serial No. 493,630.

This invention relates to a spreader and hanger for receptacles, and particularly for what are commonly known as collapsible wardrobe bags in which articles of clothing are enclosed and supported by the spreader, and which bag and its contents are designed to be suspended from a shelf or other support by the hanger.

It has heretofore been a practice to form the spreader and hanger from wire of suitable gage. A prior construction of wire spreader and hanger of this kind and of the general type to which my invention particularly relates has the spreader made of up- 5 per and lower frames, to one of which spreader frames a hanger bar is pivoted, which hanger bar is coupled to a hanger so as to be moved to folded and unfolded positions therewith, in which unfolded position the hanger bar is adapted to interlock with the other spreader frame.

Where in such spreaders and hangers the upper and lower spreader frames are pivotally connected at their ends, a spring tension suitable to obtain a positive interlock between the spreader and the frame with which it interlocks cannot be obtained, so that under some kinds of pressure the hanger is liable to become released; and it is one of the objects of my invention to provide a construction which obviates this objection and secures a reliableinterlocking connection between the frame and hanger, such as will prevent casual release of the latter.

Where in such spreaders and hangers the hanger is pivoted to the hanger bar, a canting or tilting motion of the bag and spreader frame under pressure is permitted, as a result 40 of which the hanger bar may move to such a position as to cause the garment hangers suspended thereon to be released therefrom and thereby allow the suspended garments to drop; and another object of my invention is to provide a construction in which the hanger is rigid with the hanger bar, whereby the entire structure is firmly connected and release of the hanger bar throughany tilting or canting motion of the spreader frame cannot occur.

Other objects of my invention are to gen erally simplify and improve the construction and increase the efficiency of devices of this character, while reducing the cost of construction thereof.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved spreader and hanger in outspread condition, showing a wardrobe bag in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the spreader and hanger in collapsed condition.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a wardrobe bag or receptacle having a top wall 2 and the usual end, side and bottomwalls. This bag or receptacle may be made of paper or textile fabric of a desired character, and may be designed in practice to receive clothing of all kinds and provided with suitable dust and moth proof closures.

My improved spreader is preferably made of wire of suitable gage and degree of springiness, and comprises upper frame bars or members 3 and lower frame bars or members 4. These upper and lower frame bars or members are disposed in superposed relation in pairs at. each side of the frame, and the ends of said frame bars are ri idly connected to and united by transverse end bars 5. In practice, the end bars 5 may be continuous with either the upper frame bars 3 or lower frame bars 4 and soldered or welded, as indicated at 6, at the corners of the frame to the ends of the other frame bars. In the present instance the end bars 5 are shown as integral with the upper frame bars 3, and formed therewith as a continuous oblong rectangular frame, said frame being soldered or welded at its corners to the ends of the frame bars 4:. W hen the spreader formed of the parts 3, 4E and 5 is in collapsed condition, as shown in Fig. 2, the frame members 3 and 4 lie close together in parallel or substantially parallel relation, thus adapting the device to be folded in close compass, as hereinafter described, and this rigid connection of the members 3 hanger bar. The hanger bar, for purposes of strength and durability, is preferably formed as the lower arm of an oblong rec tangular loop-shaped hanger frame, including anupper arm in the form of a suspending bar-"8, said frame being made in whole or in greater part of a single piece of wire bent into shape. Thehanger bar 7 and suspending bar 8 are united'by; end pieces 9 and a center brace l0,'and the bar 8 isjournaled-near its ends in bearing loops or'eyes ll formed in the frame members 3 centrally of their length, thus adapting the hanger frame formed as described to swing to a working position at rightangles to the spreader frame,- as shown in Fig. l, or to a. folded or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2. 1

"The hanger bar? and suspending bar 8 are so spaced that when the hanger frame is swung from the folded position'shown in Fig. 2-to the working position shown in Fig. 1,-the ends of the bar 7 will be brought into engagement with the frame members 4 and act as cam surfaces to force the members 4 away. from or spread them with relation to the members 3, thereby placing said members 3 and 4 under strong spring tension, whereby the bar 7, and consequently-the hanger frame, will be interengaged or interlocked with the members 4 to hold said bar and frame in the Working position. For the purpose of increasing the security of this interlocking connection, the'ends of the bar 7 may be bent to form latch members 12 to engage keeper pins or recesses 13 formed in the members i. The hanger frame is com= pleted by the addition of one or more hanger members or hooks 14 having their upper hooked ends projectingfor engagement with ashelf or other overhead support, whereby to suspend the spreader and hanger and the wardrobe bag and garments contained there in, and having their shank'portions soldered or welded to the bar 7 and bar 8, thus rigidly connecting them with the hanger frame and adapting them to serve as reinforcements as well as suspending devices for the latter.

In the present instance, a pair of hangers 14 in the form of suspending hooks are shown having their shank portions] secured to the hanger bar 7 and suspending bar 8 on oppoe site sides of the center of the hanger, but, of. course, more than two hanger hooks may be employed, if desired, or a single hanger hook may be employed arranged centrally of the hanger. These hangers l4 serve also as crank handles for swinging the hanger frame.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode of use of my improved spreader and hanger will be readily undervstood by those versed in the art, and v it will 'be seen that,'as thefr'ame members 3" and 4 are rigidly united at their ends, the spreading movements ofsaidmembers are correspond ingly restricted, and that therefore said members can not unduly spread apart and such members when spread by the action of the-hanger will be put under very strong spring tension so as to positively interlock the hanger therewithagainst any possibility of casual disconnection, such as is liable to occur when the upper andflower frame members are pivotally connected at their ends and hence are allowed. to have an undue range of movement,xwith-.the-conse quence that a' suit'able locking spring. tension cannot be set up" and: therefore the hanger member is adapted to be released, sometimes under very slight pressure or swinging movements of the spreader and hanger. Also-it will'be seen that as the suspending means or bar, so'that a casual release of the'hanger bar '7 from looking engagementwith: the

members 4' or casu'al disengagementw of the coat or other hangers from-the bar 7 is not liable tooccur." "Furthermore, my construction of the spreader and hanger provides asimplified type of device, which is not'only stronger and more durable than devices of the character heretofore in-common use, but is much easier to handle and may be man'- ufacturediand-sold at a lower cost; j

Having thusfully described my invention, Iclaim z I y 1 A spreader and hanger for a-wardrobe bag or the like embodying a main frame comprising upper and lower resilient frame bars at each side of'the frame and a cross bar at each end-oftheframe, said side and end bars beingrigidly connected at their ends to M sist and limit spreadingmovement of'the upper and lower side bars-of each pair except to a degree permitted by their natural re siliency, the upper frame bars being provided centrally of their length with pivot eyes and the lower side frame bars with keeper loops, and a swinging hanger frame comprising an upper transverse bar pivoted in the eyes of the upper side frame bars, a lower transverse bar having looped portions for frictional binding engagement with the keeper loops of the lower side frame bars, whereby to spread the side frame bars apart and to lock the hanger frame in spreading position at right angles to the main frame under the tension of the spread side frame bars, end bars rigidly connecting the ends of the upper and lower cross bars of the swinging frame, a stay rigidly connecting said upper and lower cross bars of the swinging frame intermediate their ends, and a suspending member rigidly connected with the upper and lower cross bars of the swinging frame.

2. A spreader and hanger for a wardrobe bag or the like embodying a main frame comprising upper and lower resilient frame bars at each side of the frame and a cross bar at each end of the frame, said side and end bars being rigidly connected at their ends to resist and limit spreading movement of the upper and lower side bars of each pair except to a degree permitted by their natural resiliency, the upper frame bars being provided centrally of their length with pivot eyes and the lower side frame bars with keeper loops, and a swinging hanger frame comprising an upper transverse bar pivoted in the eyes of the upper side frame bars, a lower transverse bar having looped portions for frictional binding engagement with the keeper loops of the lower side frame bars, whereby to spread the side frame bars apart and to lock the hanger frame in spreading position at right angles to the main frame under the tension of the spread side frame bars, end bars rigidly connecting the ends of the upper and lower cross bars of the swinging frame, and suspending members rigidly extending transversely of and connecting said upper and lower cross bars of the swinging frame between the end bars and having hooked portions projecting upwardly beyond said upper cross bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLARD D. NORMANDY. 

